vCO - mount NFS Datastore with VMware Orchestrator

Here a little action to mount a NFS export to a Host (assuming all export settings are checked for ESX).

Input parameter

• Host [VcHostSystem] - Host to mount the NFS-Export
• NfsServer [string] - IP or Name of Server exporting the NFS
• NfsPath [string] - path to mount point from export, e.g. /mnt/export/NFS
• DatastoreName [string] - Datastore name on Host 

Output parameter

• Datastore [VcDatastore] - Datastore object of attached NFS-Store

vCO - setting DRS mode in VMware Orchestrator

To set DRS automation level is easy with vCO. But how to set the DRS mode (manual, partially automated and fully automated)?

The above example has Cluster [VcClusterComputeResource] and DRSmode [string] as input parameter. Output is Task as VcTask, so you can continue with action vim3WaitTaskEnd.

DRSmode has 3 possible values:

• manual
• partiallyAutomated
• fullyAutomated

vCO - functions in VMware Orchestrator

Sometimes you need a function to calculate a result and you don't want to use an action. Here we have an (sense free) example which shows us how a function is build up and used. Also the scope of used variables is demonstrated:

This example will log (in extra lines): 3, 4, 0, 7, 3, 4, 99

This show us the scope of defined variables. The variables a and b are defined in outer and inner (function) scope. The changed values (set to 99) will only affect the inner a and b. Otherwise c - there is no c defined inside the function or passed to it. So the outer c will be used.

After calling Add(a,b) the value of c is set to 99.

Regardless of the scope a function can return a value using the keyword return. There is no type definition. The function will return an object.

Warning - it is not recommended to manipulate outer variables from inside a function. It works, but making your code difficult to debug if any error or misbehavior occurs.

vCO - sorting arrays in VMware Orchestrator

The integrated sort function for array Array.sort() will sort the array ascending. This works good for scalar types like number. But how to sort descending (not using Array.reverse()) or sorting arrays containing complex types like virtual machines? Let's have a look.

The example above will log this:


The following example is sorting descending:


The example will log this:
The function "desc" returns a boolean to decide to sort or not. It works as comparator for the sorting algorithm inside sort(). I don't know this algorithm, but this is not necessary. Just use ist as sorting comparator. So if returned true the pairs will change place in array - like quicksort or so.

This offers us an option to sort non scalar types like virtual machine or other complex types.
Have a look at a workflow with VMs [Array/VirtualMachine] as input parameter - in this example my array contains 3 virtual machines:

The (partial) log shows this:


As you can see, the array is sorted ascending by the id of each VM. If you want the array sorted ascending by VM.name, try this (there are now 4 VMs in array):

And the log shows this:Be careful with your self created sort function. Use it only on homogen arrays. Because all elements must support the properties you use in your function. On heterogen arrays adapt your function to match all possible elements.